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Irfan Rahman, PhD., Receives American Thoracic Society (ATS) 2022 Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishment

Monday, April 18, 2022

Dr. Irfan Rahman has been awarded the 2022 American Thoracic Society’s (ATS) Recognition Award for Scientific Accomplishment in honor of his “outstanding scientific contributions in basic or clinical research to enhance the understanding, prevention and treatment of respiratory disease or critical illness”.  Awardees are selected based on outstanding contributions made throughout their careers or for major contributions made at a particular point in their careers, and worthy of the highest recognition the Society can bestow via rigorous selection criteria. In particular, the award is given in recognition and appreciation of Dr. Rahman’s career dedicated to outstanding research and teaching of respiratory diseases, and service to the society and community. Honorees receive a medallion/plaque for Scientific Achievement from the Society presented by the President at the Annual Meeting in San Francisco, CA from May 13-18, 2022.

Dr. Rahman stated ‘I am honored for this award. I have been involved in the ATS and its various assemblies including Respiratory Cell Molecular Biology since 1990s since I was a postdoctoral researcher”. I am always interested studying the inhalation toxicity on human lung affecting millions of people worldwide.

Dr. Rahman is a Dean’s Professor of Environmental Medicine, Medicine (Pulmonary), Public Health Sciences and General Dentistry at the University of Rochester Medical Center (School of Medicine and Dentistry), NY., and Director of Flavoring Inhalation Toxicology Center.

Dr. Rahman’s research interests include oxidative stress, inflammation, molecular clock, mitochondrial dysfunction, epigenetics, and cellular senescence by environmental tobacco smoke/tobacco products (cigarette smoke, e-cigarettes, waterpipe/hookah, and cigars) and air pollutants and other toxicants in lung (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis), as well as oral/periodontal diseases.

His research is funded by the National Institutes of Health and he is the PD/site PI for the FDA/NCI TCORS U54 and TriState SenNet U54 consortium. He has published over three hundred (300) publications in peer-reviewed journals, and invited to write chapters in medical textbooks and editorials in journals (h-index = 107, i-index 258), total citations 46,558, selected as Highly Cited Researchers, 2014, 2015, and 2016 by Thomson Reuters).

Dr. Rahman has been serving as a member of several panels of National Institutes of Health (NIH) study sections (SIEE, chartered member), served as a chartered member of USA Veterans Administration panel on Pulmonary study section, and chair of California Cardiopulmonary tobacco research program.

He is also recognized internationally and ranked #16 (out of 52,718 active Respiratory & Allergy Researchers) by Ioannidis et al 2020. He is the editor/author of Inflammation, Aging, Diet and Nutrition - a book published by Elsevier in 2013.

Dr. Rahman is an Associate Editor of Nature Scientific Reports, Frontiers in Respiratory Pharmacology, Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Journal of Inflammation, and Experimental Lung Research, and past Associate Editor of European Respiratory Journal, International J of COPD. He is a current member of the editorial boards of several international journals, such as Am. J. of Respiratory Cell & Molecular Biology, Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease, Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews, Respiratory Research, and Antioxidants Redox Signaling.

Dr. Rahman is a member of American Thoracic Society (ATS), American Physiological Society, and Society of Toxicology (SOT), and President for Inhalation Respiratory Specialty Section of the SOT 2020-2021, and Chair of Lung Aging Interest Group of the ATS. Dr. Rahman won numerous awards, such as an outstanding Senior Investigator Award by the Oxygen Society of California, USA in 2006, ASIO Senior Toxicologist Award by the SOT in 2017, and International Chemical Society in 2019.

More information of the ATS awards may be found here: https://conference.thoracic.org/program/respiratory-health-awards/

Dr. Lawrence Spotlighted as URMC Researchers Reflect on International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Friday, February 11, 2022

Be curious and inquisitive. Cultivate relationships with mentors. Never limit yourself. Follow your heart.

These are just a few pieces of advice that women researchers from across the University of Rochester Medical Center have for young women and girls interested in science.

Despite progress in recent years, women and girls from around the world are still less likely to enter and advance in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. According to the United Nations, female researchers are typically awarded smaller research grants, are less likely to have their work published by high-profile journals, and have shorter careers than their male colleagues.

And the COVID pandemic has only exacerbated these disparities as the burden of care in the home fell disproportionately to women.

To combat these disparities, the United Nations General Assembly declared February 11 the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in 2015. Today, we celebrate the work and achievements of women in STEM and promote full and equal access to STEM for women and girls the world over.